Flow divider for spinner spreader

Abstract

A longitudinally adjustable flow divider situated in the particulate material path of a spinner spreader between the bin and the rotatable disc divides the particulate material so that the particulate material is dischargeable on to the upper surface of the rotatable disc on first and second laterally spaced apart longitudinally oriented drop lines. An actuator operably connected to the flow divider adjusts a longitudinal position of the flow divider to longitudinally adjust drop points on the drop lines at which the particulate material is dischargeable on to the rotatable disc. Longitudinal adjustment of the drop points along laterally spaced apart drop lines on one spinner disc permits control over spread pattern to help achieve uniform distribution of the particulate material on a ground surface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for spreading particulate material, the apparatus comprising:
 a bin for holding particulate material; 
 a rotatable disc for broadcasting the particulate material to a ground surface, the rotatable disc oriented to have an upper surface for receiving the particulate material; 
 a conveyor for conveying the particulate material in a particulate material path from the bin to the upper surface of the rotatable disc; 
 a longitudinally adjustable flow divider situated in the particulate material path between the bin and the rotatable disc, the flow divider receiving particulate material from the conveyor and dividing the particulate material so that the particulate material is dischargeable on to the upper surface of the rotatable disc on first and second laterally spaced apart longitudinally oriented drop lines; and, 
 an actuator operably connected to the flow divider to adjust a longitudinal position of the flow divider to longitudinally adjust drop points on the drop lines at which the particulate material is dischargeable on to the rotatable disc. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second drop lines are the only drop lines, and wherein the flow divider comprises first and second channels that receive the particulate material from the conveyor and discharge the particulate material at the drop points on the first and second drop lines, respectively, the first and second channels immovable with respect to each other and movable with the flow divider to longitudinally adjust the drop points of the particulate material on the drop lines on the rotatable disc. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the flow divider further comprises a base, immovable walls extending upwardly from the base and an immovable splitter extending upwardly from the base, the immovable walls and the immovable splitter defining the first and second channels, each channel comprising a funnel at a top of the channel for receiving the particulate material from the conveyor and a discharge opening in the base at a bottom of the channel for discharging the particulate material on to the rotatable disc, the discharge openings of the first and second channels being laterally spaced apart to permit discharge of the particulate material on the first and second laterally spaced apart longitudinally oriented drop lines. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second channels each comprise a particulate material receiving surface, the receiving surface downwardly sloped at a non-90-degree angle from the top to the bottom of the channel. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the particulate material is divided equally between the first and second channels. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable disc has a center and the drop points are longitudinally adjustable along the drop lines at a distance in a range of about  2 - 12  inches from the center of the rotatable disc. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable disc has fins of different lengths on the upper surface thereof, the fins assisting with broadcasting the particulate material from the rotatable disc. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable disc comprises first and second rotatable discs laterally spaced apart across a longitudinal centerline between the discs and the longitudinally adjustable flow divider comprises first and second longitudinally independently adjustable flow dividers positioned to discharge the particulate material on the first and second rotatable discs, respectively. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the laterally spaced apart longitudinally oriented drop lines on each of the first and second rotatable discs are between the longitudinal centerline of the apparatus and longitudinal centerlines of the respective rotatable discs. 
     
     
       10. A method of controlling distribution pattern of a particulate material broadcast to a ground surface by a spreading apparatus, the method comprising:
 conveying the particulate material from a bin to a rotatable disc for broadcasting the particulate material to the ground surface, the rotatable disc oriented to have an upper surface for receiving the particulate material thereon; 
 dividing the particulate material into first and second portions; 
 discharging the first portion of particulate material to a first drop point on the upper surface of the rotatable disc on a first longitudinally oriented drop line; 
 discharging the second portion of particulate material to a second drop point on the upper surface of the rotatable disc on a second longitudinally oriented drop line spaced apart laterally from the first drop line; and, 
 rotating the rotatable disc to broadcast the particulate material in a uniform distribution pattern on the ground surface. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising adjusting a longitudinal position of the first and second drop points on the first and second longitudinally oriented drop lines on the upper surface of the rotatable disc to provide the uniform distribution pattern of the particulate material on the ground surface. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising adjusting one or more of conveyance speed of the particulate material, rotational speed of the rotatable disc and amount of particulate material discharged to the rotational disc to provide the uniform distribution pattern of the particulate material on the ground surface. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rotatable disc has a center and the drop points are longitudinally adjustable along the drop lines at a distance in a range of about 2-12 inches from the center of the rotatable disc. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rotatable disc has fins of different lengths on the upper surface thereof, the fins assisting with broadcasting the particulate material from the rotatable disc. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the rotatable disc comprises first and second rotatable discs laterally spaced apart across a longitudinal centerline between the discs and the particulate material is discharged to both the first and second rotatable discs. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the laterally spaced apart longitudinally oriented drop lines on each of the first and second rotatable discs are between the longitudinal centerline between the discs and longitudinal centerlines of the respective rotatable discs. 
     
     
       17. A flow divider for a particulate material spreading apparatus, the flow divider comprising:
 a base; 
 immovable walls extending upwardly from the base; 
 and an immovable splitter extending upwardly from the base, the immovable walls and the immovable splitter defining first and second channels, the first and second channels immovable and laterally situated with respect to each other in relation to a longitudinal axis of the spreading apparatus, 
 each channel comprising a funnel at a top of the channel for receiving particulate material from a conveyor of the apparatus and a discharge opening in the base at a bottom of the channel for discharging the particulate material on to a same rotatable disc of the apparatus, the discharge openings of the first and second channels being laterally spaced apart, 
 the first and second channels each further comprising a particulate material receiving surface, the receiving surface downwardly sloped at a non-90-degree angle from the top toward the bottom of the channel. 
 
     
     
       18. The flow divider of  claim 17 , wherein the splitter comprises first and second plate portions upwardly extending from the base and meeting at a top of the splitter to form a peak that divides the particulate material received from the conveyor between the first and second channels. 
     
     
       19. The flow divider of  claim 18 , wherein at least portions of the first and second plate portions extend upwardly at non-90-degree angles, and wherein at least one of the plate portions forms the particulate material receiving surface of at least one of the channels. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flow divider comprises first and second channels that receive the particulate material from the conveyor and discharge the particulate material at drop points on the first and second drop lines, respectively, the first and second channels immovable with respect to each other and movable with the flow divider to longitudinally adjust the drop points of the particulate material on the drop lines on the rotatable disc; and, 
 the flow divider further comprises a base, immovable walls extending upwardly from the base and an immovable splitter extending upwardly from the base, the immovable walls and the immovable splitter defining the first and second channels, each channel comprising a funnel at a top of the channel for receiving the particulate material from the conveyor and a discharge opening in the base at a bottom of the channel for discharging the particulate material on to the rotatable disc, the discharge openings of the first and second channels being laterally spaced apart to permit discharge of the particulate material on the first and second laterally spaced apart longitudinally oriented drop lines.